The apostle Paul had, before his conversion to Christ, lived under the Law but still fell into grave sin—persecuting and contributing to the deaths of believers (Acts 8:1-3, 1 Timothy 1:13-15). Even though he had been “blameless” in outward legalistic observance(Philippians 3:6), he recognized that his righteousness under the Law was worthless compared to faith in Christ (Philippians 3:8-9). His justification had to come through faith in Jesus, not by trying harder to keep the Law. Once justified, his life was transformed—but not in a way that discarded the moral commandments. Instead, he lived as a man empowered by the Holy Spirit, able to walk in obedience in a way that the Law alone could never produce. Still, in his teachings he continued to teach the ten commandments, interspersed with his teachings. It was all as was revealed to him to preach by Jesus Christ. It is all part of the gospel revealed to him. The Law is morally good, and its ten commandments are to be taught as part of the gospel, but the righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ and holding to Jesus’ teachings. The Holy Spirit is given to the one who believes the message of this gospel and embraces God’s will, and this Holy Spirit brings power to release from the tyranny of sin’s deadly grip.
The moral truth of the Law, including the Ten Commandments, remains intact, but true righteousness comes through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, not through legalistic rule-keeping.
Paul’s own life demonstrates that external obedience to the Law cannot make a person righteous—he had been zealous for the Law but still found himself opposing God’s will. It was only through faith in Christ that he was justified and transformed. Once justified, he didn’t abandon the commandments but taught them within the context of the gospel—showing that they are fulfilled through walking in the Spirit rather than by the flesh’s efforts.
This is why Paul writes in Romans 8:3-4:
"For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son... so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
The Ten Commandments are still to be upheld, but they find their true purpose within the gospel, where the Holy Spirit gives believers the power to overcome sin’s grip and truly live in obedience to God.
Stephen D Green with ChatGPT, March 2025
